Honestly. I would of suggested going the mascot route. Similar too templatemonster. The term 'TalkFreelance' has little potential for any creativeness outside the usual speech bubbles, pen, and volume icon. Either that, use a typeface or some random shape like most startups.

Thanks for your input, Dan, but a developed and designed quality mascot would cost at least 2-3x the budget. I have seen some of the greatest logos being very simple in nature, while equally effective.

Money aside, I just don't feel a mascot is necessary for the direction of TF (+ a huge long term marketing commitment). Just trying to move into a more mature and business-minded route where freelance professionals come to learn, share knowledge and execute on business-related transactions.

It took me a few hours to provide detailed feedback to each submission yesterday and I am seeing there are 27 more concepts to give feedback to today.

One of my public comments to all designers was that the chat bubble graphic has been done to death 100s, if not 1000s of times before and I personally find it unoriginal (although depends on the presentation of it I guess... David from helveticbrands.ch, for one, can work magic with simple forms, but there is a larger story and a lot more complexity behind his work than if someone was to just plug a quotation sign or a chat bubble into the logo). I would find it a lot more creative if someone were to produce a logo with an element that would tell a more complex story than just "chat". TF is being rebuilt to feature not only a forum but an array of tools catering to freelance professionals. We are trying to create a workspace-like environment, so as a designer/programmer/writer, think of what that environment associates with. What makes you focus, what motivates you, what makes you do a better job? To some, it might be a cup of coffee from starbucks, to others a plant on their desk, to someone else a view, the sun, whatever. Same with using pencils and brushes in their designs - not only it resembles the current look of the community which I personally don't like (hence, trying to move away from as far as possible), it serves a narrow niche and is rather primitive.

Best of luck with getting whatever it is that you're looking for Artashes. If it doesn't work out, it's only $400.

I absolutely HATE the fact that 99designs is limiting competitions to just 1 week. It is impossible to shape up the perfect concept during such a brief period of time. On top of that, they are pushing contest holders to "guaranteeing" the prize money since it attracts more designers. I elected not to do so because it is not in the amount of designers working, but in the correct designers working. I have personally approached a group of artists that I pre-screened before, only a few followed-up with a submission, which were still more complex and had more natural/organic flow in them. I will see how the last couple of days fair, with my feedback given. If I notice an absolute killer logo, I'll work with select few further. If I do not, I'd have to go the opposite route of just approaching someone on the side and hoping THAT person would deliver. But then again, if I had 3x the budget to begin with, I'd probably would have gone that route. Not doing this to hurt any designer out there, I just have high expectations and I see the logo as an important symbol that will serve the needs of this resource over long-term, so I want it executed perfectly the first time.

In all honestly, I love the logo that was placed in the new theme by Chris, but we cannot use it because it is (I believe) an original production.